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VOLUNTEER PROGRAM AT PEOPLE'S
COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS, INC.
Grounded in tradition, People's
maintains an active and viable volunteer
program for all aspects of its operations.
When People's first opened, it was operated
entirely by volunteer physicians, social
workers, support staff and administrators.
Although with the passage of time from the
1970's to the 1980's came a decline in volunteerism
nationally, People's has been able to blend
the best of both worlds and teams an excellent
volunteer and paid staff.
Volunteerism at People's takes
many forms. Medical schools such as Johns
Hopkins, and the University of Maryland
place medical students on site for practical
experience as part of their student experience.
Schools such as Essex Community College,
Anne Arundel Community College, Pace University
in New York, Howard University and other
local institutions send us Physician's Assistant
students and Nurse Practitioner students
for practicum placement. Schools of nursing
similarly send students to People's for
short term and long term assignments such
as preceptorships. The Medix School utilizes
People's for its externship program for
medical assistants, medical billing and
administration, and dental assistants.
The Maryland Academy of General
Dentists has initiated an exciting program
at People's whereby dentists volunteer one
half day per week to serve patients at People's
who otherwise would not have access to such
quality dental services.
Many volunteers are self-referred.
They want to give back to the community.
They want to keep certain skills active
that perhaps their regular employment does
not afford them. Many want to test out a
career or field of employment. People's
is happy to accept volunteers no matter
how they arrive at the door.
Volunteers in medical/dental
professions who are licensed by the State
of Maryland (physicians, dentists, nurse
practitioners, physician's assistants, nurses,
social workers) are to fill out a malpractice
application at People's plus provide all
paperwork necessary to be privileged and
credentialled as a member of the clinical
staff. These are requirements of the Joint
Commission on the Accreditation of Health
Care Organizations and People's (as an accredited
entity) is not permitted to waive this requirement
for paid or volunteer staff. Malpractice
covered is provided through a commercial
carrier who names People's as a covered
insured along with the volunteer. In this
way, the volunteer incurs no additional
charge to their coverage by adding People's
to their policy.
Other professional and lay
volunteers are asked to complete a volunteer
application, a confidentiality pledge and
are interviewed by People's staff. Community
service volunteers (who must perform community
service to meet school or court obligations)
are interviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Print a copy of the volunteer
application. You can send your
completed application to S. Queen at the
People's headquarters address.
More about volunteering at
www.nachc.com.
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